Policy Number
Chapter
Effective Date
Approval Date
Supersedes
Policy: Inclement Weather
OP 30-10.08
Operations
October 2010
Month Year
April 2003
Applicable to
VUH
Children’s Hospital
VMG
VMG Off-site locations
VPH
VUSN
VUSM
Other:
Team Members Performing
All faculty
& staff
Faculty & staff
providing direct
patient care or contact
MD
House Staff
APRN/PA
RN
LPN
Other:
Lead Author & Content Experts
Lead Author: Pamela K. Hoffner, RN, MSN, Department of Emergency Preparedness
Susan Hannasch, Senior Associate Counsel, MMHC, Office of Counsel
Susan Marshall, Consultant, Human Resources
Robin Mutz, MPPM, RNC, Administrative Director, Center for Women’s Health and Nursing Support Services
Lou Kaelin, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Interim Director, Workforce Management
Carol Wilson, RN, MSN, Director, Clinical Access, VUH
SPECIFIC EDUCATION REQUIRED:
YES
NO
If yes, see section on “Additional Competencies Required”
Table of Contents
I.
Purpose: ........................................................................................2
II.
Policy:...........................................................................................2
III.
Definitions: ...................................................................................2
IV.
Specific Information:....................................................................2
V.
References: ...................................................................................5
VI.
Endorsement: ................................................................................6
VII.
Approval: ......................................................................................6
©2011 Vanderbilt University. All rights reserved.
Inquiries: Accreditation & Standards (615) 322-1117
Inclement Weather
Policy Number OP 30-10.08
I.
Purpose:
To establish Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) expectations
concerning faculty/housestaff/staff presence at work during periods of inclement
weather. This policy does not apply to periods during which VUMC Emergency
Operations Plan is in effect. When the VUMC Emergency Operations Plan is in
effect, all VUMC faculty/housestaff/staff are expected to follow the Emergency
Operations Plan.
II.
Policy:
VUMC remains open at all times, maintains staffing levels sufficient to
continuously meet the needs of its patients, and has plans in place for the safety of
VUMC faculty/housestaff/staff during periods of inclement weather.
III.
IV.
Definitions:
A.
Inclement Weather Event: the existence of hazardous weather conditions
that pose a threat to life or property.
B.
Yellow Alert Standby for Inclement Weather Announcement:
Standby, prepare for inclement weather.
C.
Orange Alert Inclement Weather Announcement: Inclement Weather
is in the area and has the potential to disrupt normal medical center
operations. The VUMC Emergency Operations Plan is activated and an
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is opened to handle the event
D.
For other VUMC Emergency Operations Plan and weather related
definitions see Attachment
Specific Information:
A.
Inclement Weather Readiness:
1.
If inclement weather is predicted, Medical Staff Leadership and all
Unit/Department Managers/ and Supervisors are responsible for
reviewing the staffing needs of their areas; and planning
proactively to meet the area’s patient care needs. Medical Staff
Leadership, Unit/Department Managers and Supervisors will reevaluate and adjust staffing plans as necessary and appropriate in
Page 2 of 6
Inclement Weather
Policy Number OP 30-10.08
the event of procedure/clinic cancellations or other changes in
circumstances.
B.
2.
When a Yellow Alert is in effect, all faculty/housestaff/staff are
required to report to work as scheduled.
3.
When an Orange Alert is in effect, scheduled
faculty/housestaff/staff are required to report to work (absences
from work due to circumstances beyond an individual’s control are
handled on a case-by-case basis) per their departmental sub-plans.
As workforce decisions are made in the Emergency Operations
Center, the Incident Commander or designee is authorized to
retain, release or recall faculty/housestaff/staff as needed in order
to meet the patient care mission of VUMC and/or ensure the safety
of VUMC faculty/housestaff/staff. Due to the regional nature of
inclement weather, the Incident Commander may delegate
decision-making authority regarding retaining, releasing or
recalling faculty/housestaff/staff who work in locations
geographically removed from the main medical center campus to
management over those locations.
Needs Assessment for Department Managers, Supply Chain,
Nutrition Services, Pharmacy, Linen Services and others as
deemed necessary.
When an impending inclement weather event makes regularly scheduled
delivery of equipment, supplies, food services and pharmaceuticals
uncertain, provision is made to obtain sufficient quantities of supplies in
advance of the onset of the inclement weather.
C.
Departmental and Faculty/Housestaff/Staff Individual Planning
1.
Each department is required to have a departmental emergency
operations sub plan that includes expectations for reporting to
work during an inclement weather yellow or orange alert.
2.
Faculty/Housestaff/Staff attendance is critical to the ability of
VUMC to provide services and maintain operations. All faculty/
housestaff/staff are responsible for having a plan in place to enable
them to meet their personal responsibilities and still report to and
remain at work as scheduled should an inclement weather event
occur.
Page 3 of 6
Inclement Weather
Policy Number OP 30-10.08
D.
E.
F.
Failure to Report to Work
1.
Non-exempt staff members who do not report to work for their
scheduled shift (per the applicable department sub-plan) during an
inclement weather event will be considered absent and will not be
paid as set forth in the Vanderbilt Attendance and Punctuality
policy (excluding absence for a qualified leave of absence). Nonexempt staff members who are unable to report to work as
scheduled are responsible for notifying the department of the
absence in accordance with departmental call-in procedures. Nonexempt staff who do not report to work due to an inclement
weather event are placed into a no pay status. Note: This is an
exception to the requirement that staff utilize all appropriate
accruals before going into an unpaid status.
2.
Cases of exempt faculty/housestaff/staff members who do not
report to work (per the applicable department sub-plan) during
inclement weather will be handled in accordance with applicable
VUMC Medical Staff Bylaws and Rules and Regulations, The
Housestaff Manual, and applicable labor laws and
regulations. Before an exempt faculty/housestaff/staff member can
take unpaid time, the department should consult Employee
Relations for guidance.
Early Release of Faculty/Housestaff/Staff
1.
While a yellow alert is in effect, faculty/housestaff/staff may not
leave work unless and until they are released by Medical Staff
Leadership or their Manager/ Supervisor or designee.
2.
While an orange alert is in effect, faculty/housestaff/staff may not
leave work unless and until they are released by the Incident
Commander or designee.
Faculty/Housestaff/Staff Accommodations
1.
In instances of inclement weather and based on the availability of
space and resources, the Administrator on Call (AOC) or
Administrative Coordinator (AC) may activate the onsite
Faculty/Housestaff/Staff Accommodations Plan. In this situation,
large conference rooms for male and female
faculty/housestaff/staff are set-up with air mattresses or cots.
Shower facilities are designated by the AOC or AC at the time of
Page 4 of 6
Inclement Weather
Policy Number OP 30-10.08
plan activation. Faculty/Housestaff/Staff are required to register
for accommodations by calling the Office of Bed Management in
the adult hospital (3-8193). Activation of the
Faculty/Housestaff/Staff Accommodations Plan is communicated
via the hospital paging system and Medical Center
Communications.
2.
G.
Faculty/Housestaff/Staff are not permitted to sleep in patient rooms
or patient care areas with the exception of designated housestaff
on-call rooms.
Faculty/Housestaff/Staff Communication
During an Inclement Weather event faculty/staff are updated via the
following communications modes:
V.
1.
Overhead Announcements;
2.
Alphanumeric Paging System;
3.
Medical Center Communications email system
References:
VUMC Policies Database. Retrieved November 28, 2011 from
https://mcapps.mc.vanderbilt.edu/E-Manual/Hpolicy.nsf
OP 30-10.12 Lodging Assistance: Designated Hospital Staff
VUMC Human Resources Policies and Procedures. Retrieved November
28, 2011 from http://hr.vanderbilt.edu/policies/index.htm
HR-026
Attendance and Punctuality
HR-030
Hours of Work
VUMC Emergency Operations Plan. Retrieved November 28, 2011 from
http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/ep/
National Weather Service website. Retrieved November 28, 2011 from
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/
American Cross website. Retrieved November 28, 2011 from
http://72.3.171.147/#SITE
Page 5 of 6
Inclement Weather
Policy Number OP 30-10.08
VI.
VII.
Endorsement:
Operations Policy Committee
Date
Luke Gregory
Executive Director & CEO
Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt
Date
David Posch
CEO, Vanderbilt University Hospital and Clinics
Executive Director, Vanderbilt Medical Group
President, Vanderbilt Integrated Providers
Date
Approval:
Colleen Conway-Welch PhD, CNM, FAAN, FANCM
Nancy & Hilliard Travis Professor of Nursing
Dean, Vanderbilt School of Nursing
Date
Marilyn Dubree MSN, RN, NE-BC
Executive Chief Nursing Officer
Date
C. Wright Pinson MBA, MD
Deputy Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
CEO of the Hospitals and Clinics for VUMC
Date
David Raiford MD
Associate Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
Date
Page 6 of 6